Before the world climate summit: G20 countries wrestle in Rome for climate goals

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Last joint G20 summit?

Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron in Rome

Photo: JACQUES WITT / AFP

Shortly before the start of the world climate conference, difficult negotiations on lower greenhouse gas emissions are pending at the G20 summit in Rome on Sunday.

On the subject of climate, a bitter struggle between the 20 large industrialized countries was expected on Sunday morning.

On Saturday, the G20 representatives decided to make some progress worldwide on the minimum taxation of companies and the targets for corona vaccinations.

Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) took part in the deliberations in Rome together with her possible successor Olaf Scholz (SPD).

From Monday onwards, the heads of state and government want to discuss how to deal with the climate crisis at the UN climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland.

The aim is to raise the previous climate goals of the individual countries, in view of the increasingly obvious consequences of warming such as an accumulation of devastating freak weather.

Without a consistent change of direction by the states, the earth is heading towards dangerous warming by an average of 2.7 degrees, according to UN data.

A preliminary G20 agreement in Rome would be all the more important.

This group represents almost 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

As for the climate, however, there were tough discussions on Sunday morning.

In particular, the question of when should CO₂ neutrality be achieved: 2050, 2060 or possibly even later?

Despite less encouraging formulations in drafts for the final text, NGO representatives still hoped for last-minute progress.

"We must not leave those who come after us a planet that is at the mercy of conflicts, where natural resources have been wasted, where the ecosystem has been jeopardized by selfishness," said Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the G20 dinner on Saturday.

Prince Charles wants to talk G20 into conscience

French President Emmanuel Macron called on the G20 to support the Glasgow summit.

In the "Journal du Dimanche" he said that even before the Paris climate agreement was signed in 2015, nothing was clear - but then cooperation between Europe, the USA and China was "absolutely crucial".

On Sunday morning, the British Prince Charles, a declared environmentalist, will speak to the G20 heads of state and government in conscience.

In view of the resistance of some emerging countries, the vague formula “mid-century” could be accepted as a compromise by all participants.

Climate activists have long accused the G20 of not doing enough to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees compared to the pre-industrial age.

US President Joe Biden has made climate protection one of his priorities.

The heads of state of China and Russia, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, are not in Rome, however - they were and will be connected via video.

At the beginning of the summit, host Mario Draghi urged the G20 to work together.

Going it alone is not a solution, said the Italian head of government - neither with the corona pandemic, nor with climate change or with fair taxation.

The world is close to reaching the goal of a global vaccination rate of 40 percent, said Draghi.

Now the world must "do everything to increase the global vaccination quota to 70 percent by mid-2022."

Chancellor Merkel supported this goal at what is believed to be the last G20 summit.

States agree on minimum taxation for companies

The G20 heads of state and government proved on Saturday that they can come to an agreement on difficult issues despite all the differences.

They decided a minimum tax rate of 15 percent for companies.

Merkel welcomed this: "This is a clear signal of justice." US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen spoke of a "historic" step: It would end the "harmful race to the bottom in corporate taxation."

che / AFP